Part 2 - Starting Incubation
Preparing for the Journey
The first few hours of incubation are among the most important of the entire hatch.
Before the embryo begins its rapid development, the incubator itself must first reach a stable operating condition. Temperature, humidity, airflow and egg turning all work together from the very beginning. Small mistakes made during this stage can influence development many days later.
This section explains how to prepare the incubator, how to set the eggs correctly, and why the first days of incubation are so important. Understanding these early processes provides the foundation for everything that follows.
Topics in this section
Preparing the Incubator
Before the first egg is loaded, the incubator should be clean, stable and operating correctly. Learn how to prepare your incubator, when to start it, and what should be checked before setting valuable eggs.
➡ Read: Preparing the Incubator
Temperature
Temperature is the driving force behind embryo development. This chapter explains why temperature is so critical, why small differences matter, and why successful incubation is far more than simply selecting a number on a display.
➡ Read: Temperature
Humidity
Humidity is often misunderstood. Learn how humidity influences water loss, gas exchange and air-cell development, and why managing humidity correctly is essential throughout incubation.
➡ Read: Humidity
Loading the Eggs
Correct loading helps ensure every egg begins incubation under the best possible conditions. Learn the correct orientation of eggs, how to handle transported eggs, and the simple checks to make before closing the incubator.
➡ Read: Loading the Eggs
Egg Turning
Turning begins from the very first day. Discover why turning is necessary, how frequently eggs should be turned, and how turning influences embryonic development long before the chick is large enough to move itself.
➡ Read: Egg Turning
Candling – Day 7
Candling is much more than checking fertility. Learn what normal development looks like, how to recognise early failures, and what the appearance of an egg can reveal about events that occurred days earlier.
➡ Read: Candling – Day 7
Recommended reading for first-time incubators
If this is your first hatch, we recommend reading these chapters in the following order:
- Preparing the Incubator
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Loading the Eggs
- Egg Turning
- Candling – Day 7
By the end of this section your incubator will be operating correctly, your eggs will be developing normally, and you'll understand the factors that determine success during the earliest stages of incubation.
Ready to continue?
The embryo is now developing continuously. The next section explores what happens inside the egg as incubation progresses, and how heat, humidity and the growing embryo interact throughout the remainder of the incubation period.
Continue to → Part 3 – During Incubation
Understanding the incubator before understanding the hatch.
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